The present invention relates to the fabrication of garments such as panties, briefs, bathing suits, or any number of garments covering the lower part of a wearer's trunk from the waist downward, anad having leg openings on opposite sides of a crotch portion.
In the fabrication of conventional lower torso body garments, one method includes providing a single flate fabric blank capable of being seamed to provide a garment having spaced front and back sections with inwardly and oppositely inclined edges defining the fronts and backs of the leg openings and an intervening, substantially narrower crotch portion. This method is referred to in U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,004 to Johnson et al. Other methods include forming an elongated tubular blank having a narrow section intermediate relatively wider sections. The tubular blank is slit the entire length thereof, opened out flat, and folded with the wider sections in overlying relationship and the edges thereof sewn together. Another method includes forming a brief from an elongated tubular blank having a length of about twice the length of the desired finished product. The tube is slit along the side and an arcuate segment is cut from the slit edge midway of the tubular blank length. The slitted tube is then opened, the blank folded, and the sides stitched together to form a garment. Such methods are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,375,530 and 3,985,004. Other known methods are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,985,965; 4,173,976; 4,031,568; 4,624,115; and 4,615,051.
The present invention is directed to a new and improved method of fabricating panties, briefs, and the like.
In a preferred embodiment the method includes forming three fabric tubes, two of such tubes being somewhat similar in diameter and length and the third tube being substantially smaller in length and diameter than the other two tubes. Each of the two larger tubes may include an elastic band section at one end thereof. Each of the two larger tubes is slit lengthwise to form two generally rectangular panels. The small tube is slit lengthwise along one side thereby forming a crotch panel. The crotch panel is then secured to the two larger panels, and the two larger panels positioned in superposed relation and then secured together along selected overlying edge portions. Prior to securing the two larger panels to each other selected portions may be severed therefrom to define tapered or arcuate edges and leg opening elastic may be applied thereto.
One of the primary objects of the invention is the provision of a new and improved system for forming a panty, brief, or the like from three elongated tubular fabric blanks.
Another object of the invention is the provision of a method of manufacture of an article of apparel utilizing three tubular knit fabric blanks.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the claims and the accompanying drawings.